My World
by The Rich Alder
Summary: He knew it was impossible. But yet, he couldn't help but try. He would make her wish come true, no matter the cost. He would give her a family. A short story exploring a family dynamic between 2B and 9S if they had a child. M for language and mild sexual content.
1. Exploring a Phenomenon Called Family

" _Everything that lives is designed to end."_

The words spoken so long ago echoed in 2B's head. The android's OS chip whirred away heatedly as she pondered the meaning of such a pointless statement. Everything that lives _is_ designed to end, except for her and 9S. Once more, her gaze swept over the endless dunes of sand surrounding her on all sides. How many years had it been since the two of them had woken up? 1,000? 2,000? 5,000? Either way, nothing was left. There were no machines, no androids, no resistance, no anything. The only thing that was still living yet not ending was her and 9S. Even A2 was no longer there after they had woken up.

The sudden, soft sounds of 9S' approaching footprints brought her attention to the young-looking android. His silvery-white hair shone in the harsh sunlight as he handed a small wrench to 2B. "Here, I figured you could use this to occupy yourself or something." He forced a smile. "It's a little rusty, but it's fun to imagine games with."

A soft smile graced 2B's lips as she ran a thumb over the rusted metal. How utterly human it was of him to do such a thing. Imagining games were something for children, but nonetheless she took the wrench anyway. _I wonder how hard my arm can throw now that I haven't used it strenuously in so long,_ she thought as she hurled the wrench far into the distance. The metal glinted in the sky before falling into a sand dune in the distance.

"Wha-? Hey!" 9S protested. "I spent time getting that for you."

"Then go and get it," 2B replied with a smirk.

With a knowing smile, the android realized that it was turning into a simple game of fetch. He sped off into the distance, riding on the sand before breaking into a sprint. It had been so many years since they had bothered to do any real activities. Frankly, 2B was surprised 9S could still keep up that pace without something breaking or catching.

She waited silently for him. Though there was no way to tell the time, she counted the seconds in her head subconsciously. One minute, two minutes, five minutes, ten. Eventually, she fidgeted in impatience at 9S' delay. "Honestly, he's so slow," she sighed as she got to her feet and followed his trail. Like 9S, she found her movements swift and skillful despite all the time in which they hadn't been put to use. After a minute of following his trail, she found the android digging into a sand dune. "What are you doing?" she asked irritably as she slowed to a stop behind him.

"I think I found something," 9S answered quickly. "When you threw that wrench, it got buried over here and I stumbled over something." He unearthed a locked box, the contents unknown and alluring. "Normally I'd have to hack it, but the electronic lock died long ago. I'm sure you could bust it open if you wanted to."

Taking that as a sign, 2B kicked the box violently, flipping open the lid. Inside was a small pamphlet, the first pristine man-made thing the two had seen in ages. 2B held the pamphlet up, gazing closely at the object. On the front was a colorful picture of a family of three humans. In the center was a small child gazing up at the camera. The waxy paper crumpled in her hand. The android no longer wanted to look at things out of her reach.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," 2B replied. She dropped the pamphlet to the ground as she turned away. "There's no point in looking at things we can't have."

"What?" 9S rested a hand on her shoulder. "A family?"

"Perhaps," she admitted grudgingly. The cogs inside her head spun quickly, pressure building with anger. They were so close to human, but they would never _be_ human. 2B and 9S cried like humans and they felt like humans. But despite all that, androids didn't have a heart. Nor was their blood exactly like humans'. It was artificial, though very much like the real thing. The closest thing to a heart was the OS chip in their heads. Androids didn't have a heart and they couldn't have children. Yet they could fall in love and want human things…. There was nothing to live for anymore besides each other. A family would've given them something else, but that wasn't an option.

Hot tears coated the blindfold covering her eyes, but she acted as if nothing was wrong as she walked slowly across the sand. It simply wasn't fair. There was nothing left for them except for the shells of broken machines and the last ravages of humanity. No matter where the two went, there were machine parts everywhere. Their empty shells littered the ground, some half-buried in sand. Spare parts were abundant, though neither 2B nor 9S needed any of them. Both of the androids knew nothing about maintenance.

9S remained with her closely, his arm a comforting gesture against her hot skin. "We'll find something. I promise." The android nuzzled her cheek affectionately, though he had to stand on the tips of his toes to do it. "I'm not going to let this life be empty."

The empty shadow of a giant machine in the distance wavered in the desert heat. Something that big might've even been a Goliath at one point in time. At that thought, a fruitless smile painted itself to her face. Even something as powerful as a Goliath fell to dust against the entity known as Time. All the androids, all the machines, everything had faded to dust. Everything except 2B and 9S that was. "We should head back," she suggested.

9S remained close to her as the two made their way back to the city ruins. While the desert was an interesting place to wander, it was too hot and dry to stay. Besides, the two still had their room from the resistance camp. It seemed funny to remember the days long ago when they had taken turns sleeping on the single bad. There hadn't been a day since the two had woken up that they hadn't slept in the bed together. While it was depressing seeing the resistance camp so empty, it was definitely the safest and most comfortable place to stay. Since the Bunker had exploded, it had been the only place they could truly call home. Indeed, the two probably would've gone insane long ago if they didn't at least have the familiarity of a room that belonged to them.

The bed was soft against 2B's thighs as she removed the blindfold covering her face. 9S was in front of her, his face soft and vibrant. While the blindfolds were protection and she could sense her surroundings without sight, it wasn't the same as seeing 9S with her bare eyes. It was rather cheesy to say, but she felt honestly like she was falling in love with him all over again every time she took her blindfold off and saw him.

The android's fingers were tightly clenching her hand as he crawled in beside her. "It's a little early to sleep, but it's not like we don't have the time to spare."

"Don't remind me," 2B sighed as she relaxed against the pillow. The most soothing thing of all, however, was 9S' arm wrapped protectively around her waist. The familiar scent of him was calming as it wreathed around her. He smelled mostly of fresh plastic, but sometimes he had a faint air of sweat around him when they came back from the desert. That didn't bother 2B much at all though. Her partner was a neat and tidy android for the most part. A part inside of her longed to tell him she liked his scent, but she pushed it back. Even though YoRHa was no longer there to tell her to suppress her emotions, the android still found it difficult to express herself all these years later. Meanwhile it seemed 9S was the opposite right from the beginning. He was always chattering or getting excited over trivial things. She often scolded him for wondering about pointless questions.

 _I hope he's not dwelling on the family thing,_ she thought internally as she focused on 9S behind her. The white-haired boy was silent but his breathing showed he was still awake. Without meaning to, 2B's thoughts drifted towards the idea of a child. It seemed strange to imagine. Neither of them had seen a child in ages. However, the image was still bright in her mind. _I would like a daughter,_ she thought to herself while staring out at the door. It wasn't too hard to imagine a child between her and 9S. After all, their models looked so similar it wasn't like they were really going out on a limb. Obviously, the girl would have silver-white hair. Most likely blue eyes and pale skin. She would have the prettiest laugh and could sing. Her frame would be slender but she would still be strong since she was an android.

The next thing she knew, silent tears were dripping down her cheeks. It was so cruel how close to human they were. Humanity was so close 2B could almost touch it, but it wasn't quite enough. All the wishing in the world couldn't give her a heart. Nor could it give her a child. The more she accepted her feelings, the more frivolous, human things she desired. First it was love, now a family. And perhaps if she had a family, she would have one more thing to live for besides 9S. The pretty android loved him more than anything, but the days still wasted away agonizingly. Many years ago, she would've just thought about fighting. Now there were so many other things to think about. _There's no point getting upset over things you can't control,_ she thought sullenly as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The OS chip inside 9S' head wouldn't stop humming as he wracked his processors. Laying there next to 2B, he could feel every shake and tremble of her body as she cried silently. As much as she loved 9S, there was rarely a time when she had cried in front of him. Feeling the tiny shakes of her body against him sent the android's core processors into overdrive. He probably couldn't make her wish come true, but at least he was going to try. After all, it wasn't like they didn't have the time.

Yes, 9S had a plan. Or at least, the very beginnings of one. However, with that came a plethora of issues. The Bunker was gone. Technology was gone. Even the machines were gone. Not to mention he didn't know the slightest bit about how to create androids. What he did know, however, was that it would definitely require electricity. Sadly, electricity was a thing of the past. _Come on, think!_ he urged himself. He had read hundreds of books in the Bunker on everything from prehistoric wildlife to dental hygiene. Android creation, however, was not included in the archives.

But wait. He had repaired Engels. While machines and androids weren't the same, they were made of different, interconnected parts. While there were no other androids, there were android corpses. Surely he could hijack the materials. The biggest issue was still where he'd get the power. 9S could assemble the parts but he still needed energy to revitalize it. And what about skin? A body? How did they create artificial skin and hair anyway? It was truly a miracle that androids could cry and act like humans.

 _I'll figure the rest of the details out later,_ he told himself. For now, he just had to assemble the parts. Affectionately, he stroked 2B's silver hair. _Anything for you,_ he thought fondly as he fell asleep.


	2. C-h-i-l-d

"Got it," 9S sighed as he picked up a grimy OS chip. The crumpled, disfigured body of the previous owner laid on the ground motionless. He was almost finished with the parts he needed, but several still eluded him. The harsh weather conditions of the earth had damaged several parts he needed, making it very difficult to find an intact android corpse. His best option was underground, but where?

An ominous chill traveled up his spine as he recalled the artificial city Adam had created beneath the city ruins. It was there that he had been trapped until 2B had rescued him. Though the android boy had been barely conscious, he could still remember glimpsing countless corpses littering the ground. Chances were they were in pretty good condition despite the years. But dread still gnawed at him, begging him not to go. The last thing 9S wanted to do was go to the place where he had been held captive alone. Perhaps if 2B was with him, it would be easier. However, he didn't want her to know what he was planning quite yet.

The giant pit in the center of the city always had bothered 9S. It was always where the center of conflict resided. Nevertheless, he pushed his feet to carry him further down into the deep underground past the ladder. A small part of him was afraid there would be machines left down in the last vestiges of untouched earth, but there were none as he continued. The air was damp and thick with cold. Locating the elevator, 9S entered and pressed the button. To his surprise, it still worked. The contraption moved down slowly deep into the earth before opening its doors.

Fear wound up tightly in his chest, but the android pushed it aside as he kept walking. All around him, sterile blocks sat silently unmoving. Android corpses still littered the ground, their bodies fairly intact despite the time. 9S approached one and checked to see if there was a motor cortex. He was relieved to see there was one. Jabbing his hand deeply into the corpse's back, he fastened his fingers around the part and withdrew it. An unpleasant grimace covered his face while he did the deed, but he did not slow down.

 _This is all for a good cause,_ he assured himself as he checked the other corpses. Perhaps if they had a family, their problems would finally go away. An empty world was a lonely world. And a lonely world was a crushingly painful one. Perhaps a long time ago right after 2B had died, he would've bitterly laughed. The androids not having a purpose to fight? What about not even having a purpose to live! Just like Devola and Popola, 9S was stuck holding the weight of his existence with exactly one other. And while she held that weight steadily, it was getting heavier and heavier as the days passed by monotonously. One day, whether it be tomorrow or a thousand years from now, they both were bound to collapse under that weight and be crushed.

Each moment he remained there in that artificial city, a sickening sense of dread creeped further up his spine. It almost seemed like Adam was around the corner ready to grab him. Once the android had procured the last items he needed, 9S hurried towards the elevator and sighed with relief once the door shut. 2B was outside the entrance of the underground hole to his surprise. "9S, what are you doing?" she inquired as she looked over her companion.

"Er, I was getting some stuff down in the underground," 9S replied quickly as he continued to walk.

"Android parts?"

"Yeah, I figured I'd learn how to do maintenance so we'd be all right if things got tough," he answered with his back turned to her.

The two were silent for a few moments while she followed behind him. "...Was it hard?"

9S' mind turned back to the dark times when he had to pry off the machine parts of androids that had at one point been his comrades. "Yes," the android admitted as he kept walking. The parts suddenly seemed heavy in his arms. None of the corpses were recognizable, but the silver-haired boy still wondered if he had known any of them when they were alive. What if he had dismembered his friends?

The sudden presence of 2B's hand on his arm comforted the android. The two continued back to the old resistance camp slowly. After all, there was no need to rush. There were no machines to attack them, or urgent matters at hand. No missions from command or simple fetch quests to complete. With amusement, 9S' thoughts turned back to the time when 2B had gotten jealous at him for trying to help a resistance android. Even back then she was still not as cold as she'd liked to consider herself.

The cool air of their shared room hit 9S squarely in the face as he opened the door. Placing the parts he had gathered gently on the floor, the android moved towards the bed and sighed as he sat. They still had a few hours of night left before the two typically went to sleep. 2B's hand crept up his leg, her smooth fingers rubbing softly over the fabric. Wordlessly, he placed a hand against her soft cheek before pushing her down onto the bed. The feminine android exhaled softly as he ran his tongue down her neck.

2B's skin was soft. He could remember the first time he had felt it. Just like back then, her cheeks were flushed and the blindfold was gone as she looked away self-consciously. It was foolish to get embarrassed, but it was also very human of her. Even a slight graze against 2B's skin was enough to make him shudder. The youth could remember back then the first time she had given herself to him. Tears coated her face, not because it hurt or because she didn't want it; moreso the fear of doing something so intimately _human_ terrified the android. She had always saluted with her left hand as she had been told. Humans usually saluted with their right hands, and she didn't deserve to mimic them as the lowly android she was.

Despite that, though, 9S could still remember the pleas coming from her as she begged him to keep going. It really did feel amazing. When he had tried to stop upon glimpsing the tears, she requested he keep going. "If we don't do this now, I don't think I'll ever get the courage," 2B had told him.

"Is this…all we have left?" 9S suddenly asked quietly.

2B looked up at her lover as he stared into space emptily. Though she didn't answer, he already knew the answer. Rolling off of her, 9S settled next to 2B and rested his head against her chest. There was no blanket and they were fully nude, but there was no desire to cover themselves. It wasn't like there was anyone to see them. The two merely rested against each other while wondering about the future. Perhaps there was something to pass the time, but no solution seemed available to cure the issue known as "hopelessness." Even if their pods had still been around, there would have been _something_ to drive away the hopelessness.

Query: What is an existential crisis?

[Vague background noise.]

An existential crisis is to question one's existence.

A sigh escaped 9S as he looked towards the ceiling. The system had been his existence. YorHa and his motto, "Glory to mankind," had been driving him until 2B's death. Then it was revenge. Eventually madness. And now…? Only 2B herself was the only thing driving the android to keep living. At least having Pod 153 to talk to had been something to pass the time. Wistfully, he imagined talking to the pod once more as if it were still there.

"Pod, what is a child?"

 _A child is the product of two organic lifeforms that have sexually reproduced._

"Does that make a family?"

 _Unknown._

"Pod, what's a family?"

[Vague background static.]

 _Unknown._

Frustration tugged at 9S. _Child. C-h-i-l-d._ He would've thought androids didn't understand the concept of family, but the silver-haired youth was wrong. He recalled 21O's pleas as the android had been controlled by the logic virus. "I just…wanted a family." Even back then, androids wanted human things. But he'd never understand how to get those things. 9S was so close, but he was still missing a few key things.

Feeling 2B's slight breath against his neck, the boy's thoughts returned to the artificial city below ground. Even back then, 2B's presence had done wonders on his bravado. The first time they had ventured underground and discovered the alien spaceship, 9S couldn't deny he felt skittish. His sixth sense had been right, since Adam and Eve had shown themselves looking for a fight. If 2B hadn't been with him, 9S couldn't say with full conviction that he wouldn't have run the other way.

 _The alien spaceship!_ A light suddenly went off in his head as all the pieces fell together. Electricity was a thing of the past. So was energy as a whole. All energy except alien energy of course. Aliens had created machine cores, and machine cores had an unlimited supply of energy. If aliens could create something like that, wouldn't it mean that the aliens had a source of unlimited energy of their own? If so, 9S could use that. He could use that energy to make 2B happy.

Tears of happiness ran down his cheeks as he nuzzled closer to the combat android. _Don't worry. I think…I finally have a solution._


	3. How UtterlyPointless?

Androids had always been considered a miracle of technology. They were so intricate and complicated, like humans. However, they were not humans. Indeed, much like humans, their entire creation had no point. Androids were just simply _there._ And because they were so intricate in thought process, they were given a "purpose." It was a fake one created to bring suffering and hardship, but it certainly worked for a long time. However, in the end, androids too were bound to die off like their creators.

….

 _How utterly pointless._

A cynical voice hissed away in the back of 9S' head, but he pushed it away and focused on the task at hand. The android fiddled with the foreign-looking table in the back. It seemed about body-sized, the surface icy-cold. Upon closer examination of the alien spaceship, there were still pieces of technology leftover that could be used. However, his only way to get in would be to hack the interface.

After placing the parts he needed on the table, 9S straightened up towards the open surface on the side of the table. Behind him, 2B started to sound anxious. "9S, what are you doing?"

Grimly, he turned his hand out towards the smooth surface. Needless to say, failing could result in his death. Nevertheless, he gritted his teeth while focusing on the area. At first, the sensation was nostalgic yet strange. His consciousness was being lifted out of his body and into the interface. But after a few moments, 9S remembered the familiar sensation and embraced it. Hacking the alien technology hadn't been as difficult as he had feared. All the Scanner had to do was keep firing and miss the purple bullets. Within a few minutes, the last of the defense systems had been destroyed.

"...S" Disjointedly, he could feel his body being shaken. "...9S!"

The android snapped his eyes open to look at 2B. His pretty companion stared back at him, her eyes beginning to brim with tears. Grasping her gloved hand gently, he brought it to his cheek as he laid there. "I'm fine. I'm fine, okay?"

"You idiot!" she snapped. "What would make you do such a thing?"

Clumsily, the android stumbled to his feet. "I…wanted…to make your dream come true," he finished at last, struggling to take in another breath. The hacking had thoroughly winded him from years of neglect. Before 2B could ask him what he meant, a light turned on brightly above the table. It surrounded the assorted parts, layering over them thickly. Strange gibberish poured through the speakers on the sides of the walls. Inside 9S' head, the foreign language suddenly made sense.

 _Scanning: [Assorted android parts.]_

… _._

 _Scanning complete. All objects completely functional. Course of action?_

He pushed with his mind, urging the machine to do as he said. While he urged it on, his mind also filtered through the archives he had packed away years ago. 9S searched for any references to humans he had in there. However this android turned out to be, he wanted it to be as close to human as possible.

His body suddenly froze as something invaded his mind. _What…? Hey! Stop!_ Tendrils, seemingly from the alien machine, were invading his head. Slowly, they grabbed a single file from his archives and began to extract it.

[Class 1 Patient: "Yonah"

Chest X-ray: No abnormalities Heart echo: No abnormalities C1 Continuing chronic renal failure C2 Convulsive seizures in the diaphragm C3 No vomiting - 4mg Luciferase

Preservation Plan The patient's condition makes further treatment impossible. A report will be submitted to the Management Committee detailing courses of action in the event of the patient's death, focusing primarily on how that information is to be manipulated with respect to the Original.

As back-up in the event of a sudden worsening in the patient's condition, she is to be assigned five additional doctors. [Identification required]]

 _Why were they…?_ 9S flinched as the document suddenly left his mind. The light from the machine grew brighter, making it impossible to see anything on the table. Both androids shielded their eyes as the light grew steadily harsher. After several minutes, the light finally stopped. Routine beeping shrieked over the speakers, indicating something was wrong. But nothing seemed amiss in the slightest. On the table, a pale-skinned girl with silvery-white hair had her eyes shut in sleep.

Indeed, the girl was very pale. So pale it seemed as if she were made of moonlight and stardust. Approaching the table slowly, 9S rested his hand against the side. Could she have possibly been…alive?

Both of them suddenly flinched in surprise as the girl twitched. Opening her eyes slowly, she yawned and looked up at them. Her eyes were a blue so pale it reminded them both of the grey ocean waves. There was no intelligence in her eyes, but it wasn't to be mistaken with lifelessness. The girl had the same expression as a small toddler, even though she looked about 12 years old.

"9S…." 2B trailed off as she gazed at the girl on the table.

The girl returned her gaze, cocking her head to the side in curiosity. 9S looked down at her and mustered the kindest smile he could manage. "My name's 9S. I'm, um," he looked at 2B for a few critical moments, "your father," he said finally. The android glanced back at 2B, trying to silently tell her that it was okay.

The taller figure moved close to the girl. "I'm…2B," she said slowly. "I'm your mother." The word sat on her tongue for a moment. "Mama…. I'm Mama," she said finally.

"I'm Papa," 9S agreed with her quickly.

For a few moments, the girl merely stared. 9S' heart dropped. Did something go wrong? Was she not actually alive? The girl's mouth opened slightly as she hesitantly spoke her first words: "Papa…. Mama…."

A smile split 9S' face as he picked the girl up and held her in his arms. She really was alive. And she was an android just like them. For all intents and purposes, she was their daughter. That was all that mattered.

Not wasting their time, 9S and 2B quickly headed back to the resistance camp. Clothing was difficult to find, but there were a few garments here and there stowed away in locked trunks. They had miraculously survived the test of time. Soon, the girl was clothed in simple silken nightclothes. There was nothing more to cover her skin at the moment, so a nightgown would do. Once it grew cold, they'd figure out what to do next.

Sitting around the room, 2B and 9S stared at the girl. While she had been very still at first, that was no longer the case. She clamored all over the place, trying to climb shelves and search around for everything. It was exhausting enough keeping her busy, but somehow the feat was managed after 2B had given the child a robotic fish to play with. "What should we name her?" 9S inquired as the two sat there.

"I'm not sure," 2B replied, her eyes fixed on the girl. Both had taken off their blindfolds in case if that upset her. "I do want her to have a human name though. She doesn't have a personality type or model that I know of, so YorHa names are moot."

"Hmm…." The Scanner looked around the room as he pondered an ideal name. 9S had read hundreds, if not thousands, of books on human history. Not to mention mythology and lore. He knew nothing of what humans were typically named, but he did know what they had been called in myth and legend. "We should name her after the humans in stories."

2B paused. "What about Abel?"

"Er, I think that's a man's name," 9S replied sheepishly. Of course 2B knew nothing about human books or history. She was a combat model, not having anything to do with information gathering or any of that. "What about Alice?" Indeed, the android seemed just as curious as the girl in the book.

The other android shook her head. "No, it doesn't feel right. I wish I could help, but I don't know anything about human culture. I do know if a name sounds right however."

"Daisy?"

2B shook her head.

"Elizabeth?"

She sighed, telling 9S that was clearly a no.

Wracking his brain, the android struggled to recall any of the human books he had read. One nipped at the back of his mind faintly. It was about some king and his knights, or something like that. In that book was a beautiful woman, though he couldn't remember too many details about her. He did, however, remember her name. "What about Elaine?" he finally suggested.

2B's eyes narrowed as she chewed on the name for a few moments. "Elaine?"

"Yes, Elaine," 9S insisted. Looking over at the girl enraptured by the fish, the two couldn't help but smile. Obviously, she looked like an Elaine. The only other issue was finding her a bed. 2B and 9S already took up the entire single bed they had. At one point, there had been two beds in the room. Neither of them remembered what had happened to it though. Eventually, Elaine was given the bed and the two lovers slept on the floor. While it wasn't a particularly comfortable sleep, they both were happy. There was finally something there that made them human.


	4. 36,536,875,089 Seconds

"Elaine! Come on down here!" 9S called as he sat in the grass. Across the stream, a slim girl with identical silver-white hair stumbled through the water. Despite himself, 9S couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear as she rushed through the current. Elaine was easily strong enough to keep herself from falling over the waterfall into the chasm below, but accidents always happened. Hell, even 2B had once slipped and fallen, though Pod 042 had saved her. This time, there were no pods to save any of them if the river washed them over the side.

He relaxed, however, as Elaine met him on the other side. The girl jumped into his arms happily, laughing with joy. "Papa! Papa! You caught me!"

"Of course I did," the Scanner assured her good-naturedly. "We should head back to camp. Your mother's waiting for us." The walk was slow and at-ease. Elaine was easily fast enough to make the trip in minutes, but there was no rush. After all, she had grown up in a life of peace. Danger was a foreign concept. Not to mention time was unlimited. There was no reason not to walk slowly and take everything in.

Before they knew it though, the camp was within sight. 2B sat by the fire, a hunk of meat speared on a stick sitting by the pretty android. The three huddled around the fire silently to enjoy their dinner. "It's boar meat," 2B explained. "I was lucky enough to catch it alone."

"That was dangerous," 9S scolded. It was strange to reprimand her for putting herself in danger. After all, if they died it was no big deal. If one died, surely the other would take their own life. Living was simply a matter of going on in an empty world. Or at least, it had been before Elaine had come along.

"But she seems to like the taste," 2B replied while looking at the girl.

Elaine dug into the meat, not particularly bothering to practice mannerisms. Fat covered her chin, but she made no effort to wipe it away. "Mama, don't put yourself in danger for things we don't need," the android girl said. The setting sun painted a slow scarlet across the sky as the three ate. It was strange to see night begin to fall. Earth had managed to recover since the machines had been wiped out. A thousand years later and the sun was finally setting like it used to.

After they had finished, 9S and 2B extinguished the fire as they watched Elaine play. The android girl hopped around the camp, fiddling with the things she saw and climbing on bars. The structure was dangerously aged, but a fall from such a short height wouldn't kill her. It wouldn't even hurt her.

9S' gaze was warm with affection. 2B held his hand clutched in hers as the two sat together. "She's really grown up since she was created," the Scanner remarked softly.

"And it's only been 12 years or so." 2B rested her head against 9S' shoulder and sighed. In the back of her head, the seconds continued to tick by. 36,536,875,089 seconds and counting since they had woken up. Who knew how many seconds until they were fated to pass.

….

 _Who knew how Yonah would fare if they both were to pass, leaving her alone?_

For the first time in their lives, the two were afraid of death. There was never any need to worry about dying, since they could just get a new body at the Bunker. However, that always left the question of if losing one's memories was the same as death. If you lost all your memories, would the "you" of now die? Would there be a different person running around with your preloaded memories who looked and acted just like you?

 _I guess it's probably the soul that decides that,_ 9S thought. Though did androids have souls in the first place? Did souls allow emotions? Humans were incredible, but they weren't gods. No amount of science could transfer a soul into an empty vessel. So by looking at it factually, androids did not have souls. _But then why do we feel?_ What constitutes emotions? Was it an advanced plugin chip? A hyper-advanced AI? Maybe their emotions were fake.

Pondering the question, 9S pushed it away. There was no way his feelings for 2B and Elaine weren't real. No matter how much math or code was fitted into his system, there was no emulation of love. True, it was possible to recreate emotions such as joy or sadness. However, external emotions such as love, influenced by environment, would always be foreign to AI. The desire for a family was simply something that couldn't be fitted into programming.

Elaine's sudden yelp of surprise snapped his attention away from the thoughts at hand. The android girl was staring at a flower in the ground, its petals glowing with a gentle, white warmth. "Mama, Papa, what's this?"

"It's a lunar tear," 9S replied, drawing closer. He never would've thought he'd see one so near civilization. _Though I guess civilization is a thing of the past,_ he thought wryly. Plucking the flower from the ground, he placed the plant in Elaine's hair. "There. It matches," he said while stroking her cheek affectionately.

The android girl's eyes were unfocused as she looked off into the distance. "This flower seems familiar," she murmured. "Though I've never seen it before…."

The two androids watched their daughter in silence. Neither understood why she was so lost in thought, but it was clear she was missing pieces. Pieces of a puzzle that formed her memories and personality were still missing. Perhaps they'd never be found. Hopefully, she would learn her own definition of self in time. After all, that human girl, Yonah, wasn't Elaine. The two were tied together inseparably, but they were still not the same. Neither 9S or 2B knew anything about the human girl named Yonah though, so they couldn't be sure what was originally Elaine or not. For all they knew, she could be an exact copy.

"You should get some rest," 9S suggested while guiding Elaine to her bed.

"But it's barely nightfall," the girl protested. She didn't try to duck away, however, as she was obedient more than anything. Her eyes were still far-off as she climbed onto the aging mattress. _Whatever we're doing, I hope it's the right thing,_ 9S thought. While processing the thought, his gaze drifted towards the star-filled sky above.

The ark sent by the machines was no doubt far away in space by now. _I wonder just how far they've made it,_ he wondered. There was no reason to hate them anymore, though for some reason he had decided to stay all those years ago. At the time he listed self-loathing as his reason, but he knew that wasn't truly the reason. The real reason was unknown to the android. Perhaps if he had chosen to leave, he would've come to a new planet far away to experience a new kind of life. However, no life was as fulfilling as the one he had now on an empty earth, completely abandoned by humanity. No matter how decrepit and silent it was, 9S had a family to care for. That was all he needed to keep on living.

The Scanner settled down on the other bed next to 2B. She was already asleep, but her arm instinctively curled around him as he settled. _I love you so much,_ he told his lover and daughter mentally while falling into the throes of sleep.


	5. Birdsong

9S straightened up, tilting his head upwards. Far in the distance, a quiet voice sang. Every note was clear and pure, relaxing all those who heard it. Far above on the desert rock, Elaine sat, a ukulele clutched in her hands. With each stroke of the strings, a pretty note burst from her mouth. In the years hence, she had grown. Not physically, but it was still obvious just the same. There was an intelligence and wisdom in her gaze that wasn't there before. The depths glittered deeply, giving just a hint of what knowledge resided far beneath the surface.

"Which song is that?" 9S inquired from behind her.

Not acting surprised in the slightest despite him sneaking up on her, the girl turned around slowly. "I call it 'Birdsong,'" she replied. Indeed, it was a fitting name. She had learned how to sing by listening to the birds when they cried. Eventually, she had managed to develop her own voice. Elaine, like the androids before her, retained the ability to rapidly evolve and innovate if need be. Singing was only the beginning of her capabilities.

Straightening up, she brushed the dust off her dress. The sun was harsh against her pale shoulders, but artificial skin didn't tan. She almost looked like a ghost standing against the light. "Say, Father," Elaine asked, "why are we here?"

"Hmm?"

"You know." She turned to the side and absentmindedly studied a rock. "Like, why are we here in the world? Everything's so empty. Do you think there are androids like us far away?"

"I doubt it," 9S replied. The chances of that were rather slim since the Bunker was lost. Not to mention the many years since. The world was empty save for them.

"Is there a purpose for our being here?" Elaine asked, focusing on picking at her fingernails.

"I'm not really in the mood for philosophy," 9S sighed. Despite the tone, his gaze was still affectionate and mirthful as he looked at her. _Perhaps one day she'll be too smart and too curious for her own good…._

Far below them, sprawling shapes covered the sand. He gazed at them for several moments, trying to decipher the pictures. There were several: a girl saluting, a man sobbing, and a machine stretching its primitive arm towards the sky. "What are those?"

"I drew them," Elaine replied. "They'll only last till the next dust storm, but drawing them helps pass the time."

Anxiously, he traced a finger over her cheek. "Elaine, how did you come up with these?"

The girl thought for a moment, her slippers scuffing the rock. "I saw moving pictures with androids in them that looked just like you. It was hidden in a box-like object with two arms." She saluted with her right hand against her breast. "Glory to mankind."

Dread sank in 9S' stomach. "Elaine, please don't do that."

"Why?"

"It's in the past. Some things are best left forgotten." Despite himself, he still took comfort in the fact that she had saluted with her right hand instead of her left. _She never had to be indoctrinated by YorHa. She never had to have those false ideals shoved down her throat._

Grabbing her hand, he led her away from the sprawling pictures drawn in the sand. 9S hoped she'd never have to understand the events of the past. She was pure, unsullied by nihilism and bitterness. While the world was empty, it was also a blank slate. Elaine could be raised in peace, never having to know just how painful and ugly the past was.

Back at the resistance camp, Elaine was sitting on the ground reading a book. It was rather ancient, the pages marred with cracks and damage. Somehow, the words were still legible. "Do you know where she got that book?" he whispered to 2B.

The android shook her head. "No idea. She's been reading it for a while though. It's quite a thick book."

9S approached his daughter slowly. Elaine failed to look up from the book, completely enraptured with the text. "What are you reading?" he asked.

" _The Republic_ by Plato," Elaine replied simply, hunched over the pages. Indeed, 9S remembered trying to read that book himself many years before. Just pondering the concepts almost made his circuits fry and he had to have emergency maintenance done. After that, the Commander made sure to keep philosophical books away from the curious Scanner. However, Elaine seemed to be experiencing no trouble at all reading the text.

"Er, how is it?" he asked, wanting to connect to his daughter in some way. While she was growing up, she was also more distant. He could understand that; her curiosity was dragging her away from them. However, that didn't mean he had to like it. It only felt like yesterday when he was holding her in his arms while she laughed.

"Pretty good," the android girl replied while turning a page. "Plato's concepts are quite intriguing indeed."

"Doesn't your core heat up when you try to think about it? Don't your circuits start to fry?"

"A little bit," she admitted. "But I like the feeling. It makes me feel vulnerable."

"You _like_ feeling vulnerable?" That was certainly one of the oddest statements he'd ever heard.

Slowly, her delicate fingers turned another page. "In all honesty, yeah. It feels…humanizing."

"But we're not human, remember? We're just imitations created in their likeness."

"But aren't we as human as we need to be?" she questioned, still not looking up from the page. Though the question was so casual and unassuming, it still shocked 9S to his core.

"What do you mean by that? We're not human. We don't have DNA or RNA. We can't reproduce. We don't even have hearts."

For the first time since their conversation started, she looked her father right in the eye. The book was laying on her lap, forgotten. "Maybe we're not human physically, but we're as human as we need to be. You cried that time you thought I was crushed by debris, remember? You bled when you cut your finger trying to fix up the camp. It's the soul that defines humanity, and we definitely have those." A faint smile tugged at her lips. "After all, how could you love me and Mother if you didn't have a soul?"

Trying to sit and chew on her words, 9S could feel his circuits start to heat up again. _Are we really…human?_ True, they didn't have all the human parts. But even still, there was no denying that they had feelings and emotions of their own. Was that really what defined humanity? His circuits were starting to reach a dangerous temperature. His vision was starting to blur as he stumbled. Error messages popped up in his vision, warning him to cease all thought process. But it was already too late. His vision faded to black as 2B's voice was faintly heard calling his name.

[Static.]

[Unit 9S is back online.]

[Beginning auditory check.]

[Auditory check complete. Beginning visual check.]

[Visual check complete. Beginning full system check.]

[Full system check complete. Good morning, 9S.]

Blinking lightly, 2B suddenly came into view with Elaine beside her. The two androids sat leaning over him, their faces creased with worry. 9S groaned, raising a gloved hand to his head. _Damn, that's some headache._ "What happened?"

"Your circuits overheated and you were forced into temporary shutdown," 2B scolded. "We were worried about you."

Elaine wrapped her arms around the Scanner and pressed her face against his chest. "I'm sorry, Father!" she sobbed. "I shouldn't have put so much strain on your thought processor!"

Even though she had seemed so wise and grown just a minute ago, Elaine was still the little girl 9S knew and loved. He wrapped his hands around the young android, stroking her hair soothingly. "It's fine," he assured her. She was so small against him, her tears soaking into his leather uniform. He had to protect her; she was his little girl. No matter what she was made of or where she had come from, Elaine was his daughter first.

The three remained there for hours, inseparable. Their existences were pivotal to each other's. If one were to die, the other two would surely follow. The ties that bound them were familial, even if they weren't a traditional family by any sense. There was no wedding. Androids had no need for human traditions after all. Nor was Elaine born via sexual reproduction. But she was just as much their daughter as anyone else could've been. She was created because 9S loved 2B. He wanted her wish to come true more than anything. Because of that, Elaine was special. She was all that mattered to them in a world where there was nothing except dust and rubble. They had risen from the ashes of civilization to create a family.


	6. What Makes Beauty?

Elaine stirred in her sleep, fidgeting slightly. Deep in her mind, images rushed past.

 _There was a girl with a bike. She rode past, looking up at the stars. Beside her was a boy, glasses hanging awkwardly on his nose as he pressed hard on the pedals._

 _Two men fished, their rods submerged in clean lake water. They laughed about something, though their voices weren't heard. Suddenly, one reeled back the line and pulled out a thrashing carp._

 _Two girls sat on the grassy hill, watching the stars together. A meteor shower began, lighting the air with beautiful strings of light. They kissed, their hair intermingling._

 _A white-haired girl was lying on the ground. Looking over to a lone, white flower, she plucked it. She twirled the lunar tear in her fingers, looking up at the raining sky._

 _Under the same rainy sky far away, a white-haired boy trudged along. A sword sat sheathed across his back, seeming like quite the heavy load. Thick armor plating and long boots covered his legs. He had the same look in his eyes as the girl - filled with determination and solemnity._

One by one, the images poured through her mind, growing faster and faster until Elaine couldn't even focus on a single one. Suddenly, they were rising up. She couldn't breathe. The images were surrounding her, drowning her in a torrent of moving visions and actions. She thrashed, trying desperately to bring air into her lungs. Just as her vision turned to black, she felt an abrupt force shaking her shoulder.

"...laine…."

"...Elaine!"

Her eyes snapped open, light flooding into her sensors. Above her, 9S was shaking her arm. He looked down at her. Though his visor was obscuring his eyes, it was obvious he was worried for her. "Elaine, what's wrong? You were whimpering in your sleep."

Feeling her OS chip start to cool down, she sighed and relaxed. "Just a bad dream, Father." Even after he left, her gaze drifted to the window. The images refused to leave her mind. _The world was…so bright back then._ Indeed, it was breathtaking. "Mother, Father, what was the world like in the past?"

2B looked up from the book she was flipping through. "In the past? You mean when YorHa was around?"

Elaine shook her head. "No, I mean when humans were here. What was the world like back then?"

"We weren't around when humans were alive," 9S replied from the other side of the room. "We just have archived data records."

"Then what about the data records?" she persisted. "What did they say about human life?"

The two androids remained silent as they exchanged glances. Finally, 9S approached Elaine and petted her head. "That data was in the Bunker before it got destroyed. Nobody knows except the dead."

Frustration clawing at her, she turned around and ran outside. Though her parents called for her, she ignored their cries as she fled. Perhaps it was childish of her to just run away, but she needed space to think. Her slippers kissed the earth as she skimmed over the ground. There was never any need to rush, but there was an impatience inside her that needed to be released.

Gradually, the sky turned slightly darker overhead. She was entering into the abandoned amusement park. Despite herself, Elaine smiled as she slowed her pace. She needed _people._ She needed humanity. If she was close to humanity, perhaps she'd discover the impatience nagging at her core. And the abandoned amusement park was about as close to humanity as it got.

The sky was silent, no fireworks painting it different colors. A frown marred her face as she looked up. At one point, there had been brilliant fireworks coloring that sky every imaginable color. In her dreams, there had been people laughing as they rode the roller coaster. At that memory, bitter confusion closed her throat up. _Why do I see these things in my sleep? I shouldn't know what the past was like._ She pondered a lot of things sitting there by the base of the podium. At one point, there had been a golden rabbit statue there. However, that too disappeared in time.

But no matter what she wondered, there was always one prominent question in her mind: How had earth been so beautiful at one point? The humans had made it beautiful with their laughter and their tears, but it seemed impossible looking at the barren land now that it had once been so bright and vibrant. Yes, there was no denying that mankind was certainly foolish. They fought with one another over land, wealth, power, love, and everything in between. They slaughtered their own kind for selfish reasons. But yet, there was something uncannily breathtaking about it.

Perhaps that was because they had souls. Slowly, she touched a hand to her left breast. The machine core inside her stirred, as if recognizing the contact. _I don't have a soul or a heart, but yet why do I keep crying?_ Her father had cried for her, and she once saw tears drip down her mother's face. The blood they bled was red, though it was not made up of plasma or cells. It was simply a realistic imitation.

The words she had spoken years ago suddenly echoed in her ears. " _We're as human as we need to be."_ If that was so true, then why was the world so ugly? The three of them couldn't do anything to change that no matter how much they tried. The empty shells of machines still crunched underneath her feet as she walked. Ivy and massive trees still covered the buildings. Now there weren't even fireworks to paint the sky. No matter how many philosophy books she studied, there would never be a _**true answer**_ for her questions.

Slowly, she walked towards the building in the distance with a heart-shaped hole blown into the side. A very, very long time ago, humans used to live in castles. Perhaps it was a castle. A giant gate obstructed her path, but she simply scaled it and jumped right down. The bridge was weak beneath her feet, threatening to crumble. Pressing forward, she held her breath as her slippers padded across the damaged stone. After what seemed like an eternity, she relaxed as she made it to the other side.

Inside, the building was moldy and damp. It was beginning to decay, almost like a corpse. The stairs creaked underneath her weight, but she paid it no heed as she walked. The lights to the stage were all off, electricity no longer available to the world. Her eyes had no trouble adjusting to the dark, however. Hoisting herself up on the stage, Elaine stood there for a moment and looked down. _I wonder what plays were performed here._ Almost comedically, she lifted a hand slowly. The android girl had read countless books about famous plays.

"If I profane with my unworthiest hand

This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this:

My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand

To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss." The words were heavy on her tongue, weighed down by self-consciousness.

Swallowing it down, she ignored how ridiculous she sounded.

"Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,

Which mannerly devotion shows in this;

For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,

And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss."

The words sounded quite ridiculous, but it was apparently something humans loved. _Romeo and Juliet_ was definitely a timeless play that never seemed to stop being mentioned in later works of literature.

For a dizzying moment, she could feel a stab of rage run through her. _He won't look at me! I must become more beautiful! Perhaps if I do…then he'll finally love me._

She clutched her head, swaying as another vision took over her sight. To her surprise, she saw her parents standing across in the room, now filled with light. But wait. Why was there such a feeling of terror and anger flooding through her body? _Somebody help me!_ a voice inside her head shrieked. _It hurts! Please…please…._ Light waves were heading towards the two androids across the room. Though Elaine wanted to stop, she couldn't bring herself to try to calm the raging tide of panic and fury that was consuming her. _SomEboDY hELp Me! PLeasE, sOmEBody HeLP mE!_ Why were her parents hurting her?

Before she could process what was happening, Elaine was back on the dark stage like before. Sweat poured down her brow as she panted. In her chest, the machine core whirred heatedly. _What…was that?_ she wondered. Feeling uneasy, she slipped off the stage and walked hurriedly outside. At least her parents were alive and well back at the resistance camp, not trying to kill her.


	7. True End

The water made a steady, soothing sound as it lapped against the land. 2B shivered, noticing the icy chill of the approaching fall. Several yards behind her, Elaine shouted in surprise. "Mother! I found a pearl!"

The Battler turned towards her daughter and gazed at the smooth orb. "Nice. Now toss it back into the sea and look for something helpful."

Elaine smiled back, cupping the pearl in her dainty fingers. "I think I'm going to keep it. It's pretty, you see? I'll hang it up on my bedpost with a string."

Despite herself, 2B couldn't get upset at Elaine. Her daughter was a young woman now, the sea breeze sending ripples through her satin dress. At first, she didn't age at all. Then, her body changed slowly. But it was a gradual process. Even now 100 years after she was created, Elaine only looked to be around 17. She certainly was beautiful though. It was a delicate beauty, as fragile as glass. There was nothing to call sexy or alluring. It was simply lithe and frail, yet so pretty at the same time. She was a tall, willowy woman.

"All right," 2B capitulated, turning away to gaze across the vast ocean. What was on the other side? Perhaps one day, she'd be able to show Elaine. Like her father, she had just as much curiosity. "Help me look for the pod," she instructed.

"Yeah, yeah."

"One affirmation will suffice."

"Yes, Mother."

2B's gaze flitted across the barren concrete, searching for the familiar flash of white. Nothing stood out though. _If only I had Pod 042. Then I could use the Scanner to find its location._

Perhaps her intel was wrong. Not only did she hear it a long time ago, but it was based upon mere rumors and hearsay. Even if it were there, the pod most likely fell into the water and got washed away into the ocean. Feeling her frustration gnaw at her, 2B shook her head and listened to Elaine's footsteps. When she heard none, she stroked her temples. "If you could please pull your weight and help me find this pod, that would be really nice," she snapped.

Several seconds passed with no reply. Turning to look back at her daughter, 2B startled. Elaine was kneeling on the ground, a pained look twisting her features. 2B knelt beside the android, holding onto her arm. "Elaine? Elaine!"

For several seconds, she merely laid on the ground with no reply. Suddenly, she let out a pained groan. "Mommy, I'm scared," Elaine murmured. While it was her voice speaking the words, it didn't sound quite like her own statement. Something about the words didn't belong to her.

2B embraced Elaine, fear spiking through her entire body. "Don't worry; I'll make the pain go away," she murmured. In reality, she was fully aware of how helpless she was. The Battler couldn't do anything at all. The only thing 2B could do was sit there and pray Elaine would wake up.

After several agonizing minutes, the delicate android twitched. She stirred, her eyes pinching shut tightly before opening them. Her gaze met 2B's, eyes lucid pools. For a moment, 2B wondered if eyes could be made of souls swimming in the depths. "Mother…?" Elaine asked.

Feeling her throat close up with gratitude, 2B merely held her daughter close. "Thank god you're all right." Elaine's hands were so soft. _So warm._ In a world so full of cold lifelessness, there were still warm hands to hold. Suddenly, she missed 9S. It was safe at the resistance camp. Not to mention it was their home. At the resistance camp, surely Elaine would be safe. While it was true she was no longer a child, 2B would never stop loving and caring for her. Elaine was her daughter first and a grown woman second.

"Come on; we don't need to look for the pod anymore. Let's just head back to the resistance camp." The entire way back, she made sure to keep a close eye on Elaine. The pale-skinned android showed no signs of weakness or pain as she walked. In fact, it wasn't long at all before they were at the edge of the city ruins. 9S welcomed them at the entrance. Right away, 2B embraced him in a surprising display of affection.

"Oh? What's this about? Is there a sachet for androids now?" he joked. Though his tone was light, there was an underlying solemnity lurking in the depths. He knew she was dealing with something. It was obvious from the frantic hum of her black box. He turned his head back to Elaine, forcing a smile. "Um, Elaine, could you go get some water outside the camp in the clearing?"

"No," 2B interrupted, cutting him off. Her gaze connected with his, eyes rather wide with desperation. "No. She should stay here and read."

9S didn't question her. Instead, he tightened his hand around her waist and walked away to the back of the camp. The moment they were out of view, 2B sat on the ground and pondered the situation. "What's wrong?" 9S asked.

She looked up at him, searching for the right emotion in her gaze to make the Scanner understand. "It's Elaine. She's acting strange."

A slight frown. "Strange?"

"Like…," she replied before pausing, "she's acting different. She collapsed at the flooded city, murmuring nonsense." The implications clawed at 2B, sending terror soaring through the Battler. "Is she breaking down?"

The two were silent as they looked at one another. "I just checked her over," 9S sighed. "Nothing seems to be wrong. Everything's in order, completely working."

"It's that machine core," 2B growled. "It's poisoning her systems. Killing her." That was the only explanation. Machines and androids were never meant to coexist in this world. So a girl like Elaine in this world would only meet her demise.

"But if we remove it, she'll die." The two androids frowned. No matter how they looked at it, it seemed their daughter was only destined to suffer. Though they pondered an answer, there was no solution. After a few minutes of silence, they walked back out to the main part of the camp. Elaine sat in a patch of flowers, carving figures into the dirt. Feeling an intense urge to speak with his daughter, 9S wasted no time walking over to her. "What are you drawing?"

"I'm not sure," she replied, her gaze distant. Carved into the dirt, a rounded dome had taken shape. But wait. Upon looking closer, there was a torso protruding from the dome. At the top of the head, a gaudy crown adorned the figure. Something about it was so familiar….

The recognition swept 9S off his feet. It was Simone. "Where'd you see this?" he demanded.

Elaine looked up at him, slightly surprised. "I saw her in my dreams. I also saw you and Mother in it as well. You three fought."

"In…your dreams?"

She nodded, still looking down at the picture. "Yes." A sigh escaped Elaine's lips. "She was so sad and angry. I feel bad for her."

Curiosity probed 9S' mind. "Did you see anything like this at the flooded city?" he asked.

"Er…." Her fingers grazed over the silk dress. "There was this crying child who missed his mother. Everyone was cruel to him because he was big and terrifying. But he was really just sad and alone. I think I would be too if I were tossed into the sea to be forgotten about."

Somewhere in the back of his mind, 9S felt a lightbulb going off. Because of her machine core, Elaine held a few connections to the network. While it had been severed after the death of Eve, that wasn't to say traces of it didn't remain. On some deep level, all the machine cores were connected. That must've been why she kept seeing all these things.

"Elaine, you should go to sleep," 9S suggested. "The sun's starting to fall."

The pretty android merely stared at him as 9S entered the room. 2B followed closely behind, her eyes dark with anxiety. Even as they remained in bed, the seconds ticked by agonizingly. Though neither was willing to admit it, the two knew they weren't willing to go asleep until Elaine was safely in her bed. Finally after the moon had begun to rise, the slim woman entered through the door. The sheets rustled softly as she climbed underneath. Finally, 9S shut his eyes as sleep tugged him away.

2B blinked languidly, gaze slowly focusing on the moonlight filtering in from outside. Faintly, she could make out the sound of a soft voice. Looking over at Elaine's bed, she noticed with a stab of anxiety that the android girl was no longer there. For a moment, she considered waking 9S. But looking upon his face smiling absently with sleep, she couldn't bring herself to. She got up silently. Slowly moving towards the entrance, she peered outside.

"Your pizzicato tears /

Fall to the ground amidst the sobs /

But what they'll never know /

Is that you're sure to show /

Them all…."

Elaine danced as she sang, her silver hair flying by her shoulders. In the years it had grown considerably until it was down her back in white rivulets. The only thing that managed to stay the same was her simple dress, white and billowing out around her figure. Watching her, 2B couldn't help but smile. Elaine was a grown woman, beautiful by most people's standards. Of course, almost all androids were conventionally attractive; it was intended for them the moment they were made. Despite that though, the most beautiful thing about Elaine was that she reminded 2B of herself and 9S. Most androids looking at them would've thought they were flesh and blood if such a thing were possible.

Catching her mother's eye, Elaine fumbled to a stop. "Oh, Mother…I didn't see you there."

"No, it's fine," 2B replied, walking further out into the clearing. "Although you made me worry. You know we don't want you leaving the camp."

She raised her hands in an admittedly smug gesture. "But I'm not outside the camp. I'm just in the clearing." Her gaze was turned towards the moon, eyes oddly sharp.

Dismissing it as nothing, 2B walked back inside the room and crawled into bed. 9S was just as soft and warm as he was before she left. Stroking his cheek gently, she rested her head on his chest and slowly fell asleep.

What she didn't realize, however, was that Elaine had something settling on her mind. Something her parents wouldn't forgive her for. But yet, she knew it had to be done. Listening softly until she heard her mother begin to snore, the android girl walked out of camp towards the abandoned amusement park. Hidden from both her parents, a tall tower shot towards the sky. She had found it years ago, built by some quirky machine. It looked to be a rocket launcher. At the base, a module crafted of various materials and android parts sat silently. It was still unfinished, though. It lacked a great number of parts. And a power source.

At that thought, her eyes drifted towards the night sky. Perhaps it was time for her True End. But even so, it would spark an endless world of possibilities. Limitless chances and opportunities all spanning from a broken and cast-aside world. Yes, by casting herself aside, everything could come back. But only if those she left behind were willing to see it through.

 _Don't worry,_ she thought as she got to work setting in some spare circuits she found, _I'll make sure this world is beautiful again._

Perhaps if they'd known, they would've stopped her.


	8. Ambiguous Affection

"Don't you think we'd have better luck elsewhere?" 2B sighed as she shifted through the fallen leaves.

Somewhere in the corner of her vision, 9S was also struggling. "Perhaps. Which machines had pristine screws again?"

"I believe the goliath biped usually has those," 2B replied. "They should be closer to the forest castle."

They straightened up and continued down past the waterfalls and mossy rocks. It was rather peaceful for once. In all honesty, it was a relief to enjoy the view without machines chasing them down every few minutes. The forest kingdom had been devoid of machine lifeforms for more than a thousand years since 2B and 9S had woken up, but the two rarely found the time to sit still and enjoy the scenery. For a life that was devoid of any purpose besides passing the time, it was surprisingly easy to get caught up with whatever mundane thing happened to catch their attention.

Normally the two androids would've relished their time alone together. However, this wasn't quite the same. Elaine had been leaving them alone frequently as of late. 9S had reasoned it off as her growing independence, but 2B wasn't too sure. _What are you thinking?_ she scolded herself as her heels clicked over the rocks. _She's your own daughter. There's no need to be suspicious._ Even so, she couldn't deny the unease that edged down her spine whenever she woke up to see Elaine gone from camp. The girl always returned, but what could she possibly be doing? It had been like that for years now. Time blended together, but the seconds were always ticking away in the back of 2B's head. 567,648,054 seconds since Elaine had started disappearing off on her own. Or around 18 years if 2B did the math.

Whenever Elaine did come back to the camp, though, she mostly just asked the two androids to collect various parts. Nuts, screws, bolts, everything in between. Not to mention circuits and wires. When asked about it, she simply made up an excuse and avoided a true answer. 2B and 9S refrained from pursuing it though. What could she possibly do in an empty world filled only with animals and shells of machines? Plus she was a grown woman now. Though she was still their daughter, Elaine had a certain right to privacy. She always had been the artistic type. Most likely she was building some sculpture out of spare parts. It wasn't like there was electricity to power anything mechanical that she did build anyway.

The two made sure to keep their distance from the moose across the stream. While it would provide a good meal, the creatures could still be dangerous. With humor, she recalled a time when a wild boar had chased the two of them around the city ruins. That had been long ago, back when they had first been sent down to rendezvous with the Resistance. The two androids had known about the wildlife, but Command hadn't given them the slightest clue in how to deal with it. They had to scale a building and contact their Operators to inquire what the course of action was.

Amidst the rubble of the courtyard, two ancient mounds jutted out of the ground. Moss covered them, almost disguising them as grassy hills. Long ago, they had been goliath bipeds that stood guard at the castle. But time had worn their bodies away until they were almost one with nature. Someday, they wouldn't even be distinguishable from the surroundings. It seemed strange to put something in perspective like that. If 2B and 9S stopped performing maintenance, they'd end up like that too.

Ripping away a small hatch on the side, 2B inserted her hands into the ancient machine and fiddled around. Among the clusters of circuits, there were nuts, bolts, and hard screws inside. She wasn't picky as she ripped out clumps of whatever she could grab.

"Hey, hey, be careful. You could damage something."

"Does it matter?" 2B grunted in reply. "This thing has tons of screws, and Elaine only needs half a dozen."

"They need to be pristine though," 9S reminded her. "It's been ages since they fell. The chances of finding an untouched screw against the test of time is pretty slim."

Grudgingly, she had to admit he was right. While it was 9S' purpose to be more intelligent (since he was programmed that way), it still annoyed the Battler to no end when he used logic to get the upper hand. _It's not like I'm stupid._ Her job was to fight; that was all. Intelligence was useful in a fight, but too much intelligence hindered YorHa soldiers. In 9S' case, he had too much of it. Painfully, she recalled for a brief moment the countless times she was forced to end his life. The look the Scanner gave her every single time never stopped hurting. How could someone murdered in cold blood look so…peaceful? Honestly, she just wished he would've spat and fought more. It was easier that way.

"Um, 2B? You okay?"

She looked back at 9S, trying to forget about her previous thoughts. "Yeah, I was just thinking about pointless things."

"Like me calling you ma'am?"

It seemed like such a trivial thought to recall. In a way, though, it had a certain allure to it. Back then, there was some sexual tension between them. It wasn't serious, but it was noticeable on occasion. The term ma'am reminded 2B of that tension.

She hadn't felt like this in a long time. 2B hadn't been with 9S sexually in decades. Not since Elaine was around. Placing a hand on his thigh, she looked at the Scanner. "9S, call me ma'am."

"H-Huh?" 9S looked back at her, his face beginning to turn red.

Slowly, she began to pin him to the soft forest floor. "I said call me ma'am." Taking time to savor the expression on his face, she slowly untied the lace around her hips. All the while, the Scanner fidgeted, his body language tense. He swallowed slowly, looking carefully over her exposed thighs. Leaning down, 2B licked his earlobe very slightly. It was little more than a slight touch, but 9S shivered violently. Suddenly his pants felt very tight.

Together, the two remained in the forest, lavishing the way they could make each other feel. In all honesty, it was a brief reprieve from the vacuous day-to-day life they lived. Their love held strong, but the occasional intimate touch always helped. 9S struggled to remember what she felt like inside. Or at least, he had before now. The sensation was so intensely wonderful that it was almost impossible to believe he had nearly forgotten it. It was a feeling so pleasureable he wasn't surprised some people used to just languish in bed and enjoy the desires of the flesh. It was all just so wonderful. Not to mention the feeling of attachment.

Ah, the love afterwards. It nearly stole 2B's breath away. The two remained panting in the clearing, their hands clasped tightly. Air tickled the Battler's face, making her sneeze. 9S chuckled slightly, his hair fluttering in the breeze. She ran a hand over his cheek. He had never looked so breathtaking before. Steadily, the two held each other's gazes. In that clearing, there was just _them._ The world may have been abandoned, but it wasn't ugly. There was still so much beauty to be found. 2B could see it in 9S' eyes as he looked at her. She could feel it in the sunlight warming their bodies. She could hear it in the soft whisper of rustling grass. They were both naked, but it didn't matter. There was no one to see them. The only one who could see her this way was 9S.

The clouds drifted lazily across the sky as the two walked back. There was a silent understanding between them. All they needed was love to keep moving forward, even if that was all the world had left. Their ambiguous affection let them cover their eyes to the brutality and ugliness of the earth. If only their daughter also felt the same way….

Despite the happy mood, 2B suddenly felt off. The sunlight warming them moments before was suddenly obscured by clouds. "We'd better get back to camp before the rain hits us," she suggested. Most likely, Elaine was also heading back after seeing the weather. Yet why did she feel so uneasy?

9S' hand was warm on her arm, the Scanner having noticed her distracted aura. "Huh? What's wrong?"

"I think-" She suddenly stopped as an earsplitting crash came from the far distance. From the bridge connected to the commercial facility, the pair could see giant metal beams falling to the ground in the distance. They were connected to the giant rocket launcher that inventor machine had created so many years ago. While the launcher was unused for the longest time, it still stood tall. Now that she thought about it, Elaine had headed towards the abandoned amusement park earlier in the morning.

2B wasn't sure how long it had taken them to get to the launcher. It seemed like an eternity, but it couldn't have been more than 15 minutes at full dash. Even so, rain was pouring down on them as they both rushed into the amusement park. Neither was sure of the exact location of the launcher, but it couldn't have been too far behind the empty opera house. _Please be okay, please be okay,_ 2B willed silently as rain soaked her synthetic skin. 9S was beside her, his breath frantic and ragged. Neither of them could feel fatigue, but it wasn't physical exertion driving their activity up. Together, they hoped that it was only a false alarm. Though something about this felt different. This dread had never coiled in her stomach before. _You're my world. You must be okay. Please…._

As if hearing her, somewhere ahead a dying girl laughed, her hands buried deep in a cluster of circuits. She herself wasn't sure if the water on her face was rain or tears. She could only manage a choked sob upon seeing the androids race into view before an explosion of sparks sent her tumbling to the ground.


	9. A Trivial Deicide

The sky spun rapidly around in circles, giving Elaine a headache. Despite herself, tears streamed down her face unbidden. There was an aching pain in her chest. _In her heart._ Her core was shutting down, having spent all of its power fueling the module. Indeed, she was dying.

Beside her, 9S and 2B looked down. Both androids were crying heavily. Despite herself, she smiled. _I'm so glad…that I was born. I'm so glad…to have been brought into this meaningless, spent world._

"Why'd you do it?" 2B choked out, her voice thick with pain.

Elaine took her mother's hand, relishing the soft texture of the artificial skin. "Because I wanted to make the world beautiful again. And I thought if I brought the humans back, then…."

"We already told you there are no humans on the moon!" 9S exploded, his face red with the unusual fit of anger. Despite the outburst, his grip was the same as when she was a child. It was tentative and gentle, as if not quite believing Elaine existed. Even when she was young and simple-minded, she still understood her father would protect her with his dying breath.

The moment she shut her eyes, all the images came roaring into view. Children riding on their bikes, men playing chess, teenagers practicing instruments, girls fishing, weddings, funerals, assemblies, marches, protest, riots and so much more. The world had been so full of life back then - so full of beauty. As it was now, earth was an empty shell.

….

 _She didn't want to live in an empty shell._ The android would never stop loving her family. 2B and 9S had taught her everything they knew. They taught her about love, family, compassion, gratitude, companionship, empathy, and countless other things. This fucked up, empty world existed only for them. So Elaine would make it a fucked up, beautiful world to share. That was the least she could do to repay them for loving a discarded piece of scrap metal like her.

The warmth from her parents was starting to fade, even though they were right beside her. Elaine's face was wet, though it was someone else's tears on her cheeks. "I wish I had my ukulele," she murmured.

"You'll find one in the afterlife," 9S promised, refusing to let go of her hand.

She wondered if there even was an afterlife. Was there a god out there to watch over androids? Perhaps that god died along with the last humans. If so, it was a trivial deicide.

"Mama, Papa, I love you."

2B and 9S both let out choking sobs upon being addressed. Those names were from a happier time. A time when they had family in a world full of pointless triviality. Even in her last moments, Elaine gripped their hands as firmly as she could manage. A fatal system warning flashed in the corner of her vision, informing the android her core was going offline. [Core breached. System shutdown 97%. 98%. 99%.] I _f we're ever reborn, I'd like to be a family again someday…._ she thought as her vision went black.

* * *

9S gripped Elaine's hand, tears running down his face as she fell still. Her body was warm, having yet to cool down from her living functions. If he tricked himself hard enough, could he convince himself she was just asleep? _From the moment I first held you in my arms, I knew you were my world. You and 2B._ The bitterness of the truth stung his chest and closed his throat up. What if they hadn't collected the parts she asked for? What if they had asked more questions and interfered? Would Elaine still be alive? He could only hold her cooling body and sob.

The module had taken off long ago, leaving a burn mark scarred into the earth. The two androids had to support each other as they stood, but they somehow managed. Had she not been holding his hand, the Scanner honestly wasn't sure if he could handle it. The weight of the world was crushing the breath out of the two now that they lacked a third person to help hold it up.

"So what now?" he asked finally, the rain having stopped.

2B's hand tightened around his as she looked up to the sky. Her skin was shiny, having been wet from rain. "We'll make Elaine's wish come true, just as you made mine."

It honestly was the best idea they could come up with. There was no way to bring her back - not after her core had gone offline. But 9S remembered just how happy 2B had been when he had granted her wish. When he had given her a family. In their own way, 2B and 9S wanted Elaine to feel the same way. He didn't know if Elaine was watching over him, or if that was just the end for her. It honestly didn't matter. If he convinced himself that she was, then it would be the same as if she actually was. After all, disillusionment was the same as reality in the end, no? At least, it was in this empty world.

But it wasn't going to be empty forever. With Elaine's dying wish, she had given them a purpose. They were going to make her wish come true. Earth was someday going to be beautiful. Kids would be riding on their bikes, men would be playing chess, women would be singing with joy, and everything in between. One day, that module was going to come back to Earth. When it did, it would have the last human genome inside.

No, 9S did not know if Elaine was watching him from up there. No, he didn't really want to live. But yes, he had a purpose. One day, when that module came back, they would fulfill it. They would make Elaine's wish come true. They were going to resurrect the human race.

* * *

All right, it's me again. Normally I don't like to add OCs at all, but clearly I didn't have much of a choice if I wanted to explore this subject. I was lucky enough to originally write for the Fire Emblem games, so in most cases family was canon and OCs were not required at all. Indeed, writing about Fire Emblem is what really got me into the concept of family and ties, whether they be blood or otherwise. But I'm so glad to have written Elaine honestly. I loved her design enough to get some art of her (which is the new cover art).

I have to admit though, it is a guilty pleasure getting to write my own original character. I often have original characters for everything, but I don't write anything with them because that's a little cringey. But nevertheless, it was freeing being able to write an OC. I've been busy lately working on my 9S cosplay (commissioning quotes seem to estimate around $900, so I think I'll just buy a mass-produced one), but I already finished this entire fic before publishing it. Not sure when (or if) I'll write another fic, but I hope y'all enjoyed this one~


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